Edward spencer hall



(No Model.)

B. S. HALL.

BICYCLE BRAKE.

No. 603,140. Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

iNVENTOR ATTORNEY m: uonms FETERS c0, wowmvuma, WASNINGTQN, u c

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcs.

EDWARD SPENCER HALL, or-Nn'w roan, N. Y.

BICYCLE-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,140, dated April 26, 1898.

Application filed January 28, 1897. Serial No. 621,067. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD SPENCER HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plunger-Brakes for Bicycles, of which the followingis a specifica tion.

The object of this invention is to provide in] proved,more convenient, and efficien t plunger-brake devices for bicycles, tricycles, or other vehicles.

In this invention the brake head or spoon is pressed to the vehicle-wheel by draft devices operated, preferably, by a rotating handle on the steering handle-bar. These draft devices include an intermediate screw-coupling, which permits any desired adjustment of the handle-bar. The lower portion of this coupling non is combined in one self-contained structure with the lower draft devices leading from the coupling to the brake-spoon. Reversal of the draft to lower the spoon to the wheel by upward pull on the intermediate connection is obtained by passing the bight of the lower draft-chain under a pin which is fixedly held to a support preferably comprising rods which are fastened to the steeringwvheel-fork crown. The pin does not enter the fork-stem, thus preserving the full strength of the stem and permitting the selfcontained parts to-be together slipped upward through the steering-wheel-fork crown and be fastened thereto.

The invention also includes certain improvements in the intermediate draft connections and in the brake operating handle whereby the brake may be more cheaply made and may be operated more easily and conveniently than heretofore; and the invention also comprises a novel arrangement of fastenings whereby readily-renewable shoes or fi'ictionsurfaces are held to the cap-plate of the brake-spoon.

The invention will first be described, and then will be defined in claims hereinafter set forth.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional side eleva' tion of front parts of a bicycle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear vertical sectional View of the central parts of the handlebar and the intermediale draft connection. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan View of the operating-handle, taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is an enlarged cross-section of the handle, taken on the line an x in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line y y in Fig. 3. tional view of the self-contained parts of the brake-actuating mechanism and intermediate coupling and the brake-spoon, drawn to the same scale as in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an enlarged side view of most of the parts shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an enlarged top perspective view of the support and guide for the intermediate screw-coupling and draft devices. Fig. 9 is a top perspective View of the brake head or spoon. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view showing the locking-pin at the head of the screw-coupling. Fig. 11 is a front sectional elevation of a slightly-modified form of brake head or spoon; and Fig. 12 is a top perspective View of separated portions of the brake-spoon, cap-plate, and shoe.

Thebrake spoon or head 1 acts on the steering-wheel 2. The spoon-stem 3 tightly fits thehollow pendent portion at of a plunger which has an upper hollow head portion 5. The plunger and spoon are vertically guided by passage of the part 4 loosely through a plug 6, fixed by a screw 7 or other suitable fastening to the crown of the fork 8, in which the wheel 2 is journaled. In the plug 6 are fixed the lower ends of two guide-rods 9 9, which pass upward loosely through the central part of the plunger and are fixed at their upper ends to a cap-ring 10. To and between the lower parts of the supporting-rods 9 is fixed a cross-pin 11.

To the plunger-head 5 and preferably between angularly-bent lugs 12 12 thereon is fastened by a pin 13 one end of a draft-chain 14, which passes downward and under the pin 11 and thence upward to connect by a pin or otherwise with the lower preferably bent end of a screw-rod 16. This rod extends above the plunger and between the rods 9 9 and through the cap-ring 10. A normally-contracting spring 17, surrounding the rods 9, is

Fig. 6 is a front vertical secconnected at one end to the ring 10 and at its other end to the plunger and preferably by the same pin 13 which fastens the chain 14. I The screw-rod 16 is the lower portion of an 5 adjustable or telescoping coupling, which has an upper tubular part 18, having a head 19 and provided with an internal screw-thread 20, which fits the thread of rod 16. The tube 18 extends upward through the stem 21 of the I steering handle-bar 22. By turning the tube 18 by means of its head 19 the screw-coupling may be adjusted to any length while the handle-bar is being raised or lowered. To pre: vent turning of the tube 18 by unauthorized persons, such as public carriers, I provide a small pin 23, which preferably has next its head a screw-thread fitting threads in the tube-head 19 and entering a slot or hole in the handle-bar. This locking-pin 23 prevents turning of the coupling-tube 18 by the fingers, and it may be quickly removed by a screw-driver when the handle-bar requires Vertical adjustment. r I formerly used in the upper draft connec- 25 tions a cylindrical block sliding in the handle-bar stem and supporting the upper tubular portion of the telescoping coupling and two'chains connecting the sliding block to a single upper chain in the handle-bar and leading to the operating device at the handle. I now employ a light stamped-metal support which has a central hole in its horizontal middle plate 24 to receive the coupling-tube 18, which has a shoulder 18 resting on said plate. From this plate 24 the metal of the support is pressed downward to form a flaring flange which, as herein shown, preferably comprises a series of prongs 25, the ends only of which touch the inner surface of the handle-bar stem 21 and have very little friction thereon. Two opposite lugs 26 26, bent upward from the plate 24, form bearings, to which are pivoted the lower ends of a stamped-metal yoke 27 between the upper laterally-curved ends 5 of which is pivoted by a pin 28 the lower end "an of a single draft-chain 29, which passes upward at one side of the coupling-tube 18 and thence over a guide-pin 30 into one side of the handle-bar 22.

The chain 29 is coupled at its outer end to a wire 31, which passes along within the handle-bar and at its outer end is fixed to a metal plate 32. This plate enters a tubular slide 33 and has a hole through which passes a pin 55 34, which has one reduced or shouldered end 35, which enters the farther side of the slide. After/this pin 34 is thus adjusted to the slide and plate a wire 36 preferably is passed through the pin to prevent accidental with- 60 drawal of it. The wire 36 when used is rehandle 40.

tial quick pitch and a following slow pitch of thread.

As the handle is turned to the right on the handle-bar 22 the worm 38 draws on the pin 34, the slide 33, the plate 32, the wire 31, the chain .29, the yoke 27, and the support 24 25 and lifts the coupling 18 16 and pulls up ward on the chain 14, the other end of which reverses the motion of the plunger 4 5 and carries it downward and lowers the spoon to the wheel 2 to apply the brake and stop the bicycle or vehicle. When the handle 40 is turned backagain, it is locked automatically in normal position by a latch 52, and the spring 17 meanwhile forces the plunger 5 4 down again, thereby lifting the brake-spoon from the wheel and taking off the brake. The spring 1'7 holds all flexible parts of the intermediate draft connection taut and prevents endwise looseness and rattling of them, and the support 24 25 laterally guides the coupling 16 18 and the lowerdraft connections and prevents rattling of these in the handle-bar and fork-stem.

The metal lining-tube 39 of the handle 40 instead of turning for its whole length directly on the handle-bar 22, as formerly, now is made larger in diameter and at its inner end receives the brazed ring 41 and at its outer end receives a ring 42. By these two rings the handle turns onthe handle-bar with very little friction. The outer ring-bearing 42 is preferably held to the handle liningtube 39 by radial lugs 43, projecting from the ring into notches of the tube. Next, the ring 42 is then placed within the tube and end plate 44, and then the end parts of tube 39, which at first project'beyond the plate 44, are pressed inward upon the plate and preferably within a marginal recess thereof, so that these impressed portions of the lining-tube finish about flush with the struck-up center portion of the plate. A headed screw 45 is passed into a round stud46,which projects outwardly from an end plug or part 47, fixed to and within the outer endof the handle-bar 22 and preferably by means of a pin 48 on one end of the plug entering a hole in the handle-bar, and a countersunk screw 49passed through the side of the handle-bar into the other end of the plug. The stud 46 can easily be filed down in fitting the handle, so that the stud stands about flush with or slightly beyond the outer face of the end plate to permit the screw 45 to be set up tightly to the stud, and thus allow free rotation of the handle 40 on the handle-bar by its ring-bearings 41 42 without permitting endwise play of the handle. The screw or worm plate 38 has larger diameter than the'handle-bar 22 and does not touch it when the handle turns on the bar.

I now make the handle-catch of a piece of spring metal 50, which is located inside the handle-bar and is held thereto at one end by a screw 51, passing through a countersunk hole in the handle-bar. The latch proper is a square projection 52, which normally enters the handle.

an opening 53 in the inner bearing-ring 41 of The latch 52 extends from a round boss 54: on the spring 50. This boss passes freely through an opening in the handle-bar. A push-button is fixed at one end of its stem to the free end of the spring 50 and projects through the handle-bar at the forward end of the handle. By pressing the button inward the latch 52 is withdrawn from the handle-notch 53, and the handle 40 may now be turned to apply the brake in the manner above described. When the handle 40 is turned back to normal position, the latch 52 again engages its notch 53 and locks the handle until the next time the brake is to be used.

The brake head or spoon shown in Figs. 9, 11, and 12 of the drawings is similar in some respects to the spoon shown in my recent pat-- ent application, Serial No. 616,576.

As herein shown, the spoon cap-plate 56 has opposing pairs of T-slotsinstead of the form er operatively similar keyhole or buttonhole slots. The pendent end lugs 58 and side flanges 59 are the same as formerly, but the friction-shoe in Fig. 9 has slightly different form at the contact-face.

The pair of separate shoes 60 (shown in Figs. 11 and 12) are a further improvement over the one-part shoe of Fig. 9 or that shown in my prior application in that the two separate brake-shoes 60 may be molded each with one wire 61, carrying two headed keys 62 63, more easily than the one-part shoe having two wires 61, carrying four headed keys.

A further improvement now shown and more especially applicable to the two separate brake-shoes 60 consists in providing latches (it, which are held to the cap-plate 56 preferably on pivots and are adapted to be set against the heads 63 of opposing pairs of keys 62 to lock the keys at the narrower parts of the slots 57, while the key-heads lock above the cap-plate. These latches are preferably made of spring metal and have depressed parts 65, which snap into and conceal the wider parts of the plate-slots 57. The latches are shown in Fig. 9 also in connection with the headed keys of the one-part brake-shoe 60.

I claim as my invention- 1. A vehicle-brake comprising a plunger movable in the steering-wheel-fork stem, a brake device held to the plunger, a relativelyfixed plug or part at the fork, a support held to said plug, a pin held to the support and not entering the fork-stem, a flexible draft connection held at one end to the plunger and passing in a bight under said pin, a pulling connection at the other end of said draft con nection, and means operating said pulling connection.

2. A vehicle-brake comprising a plunger movable in the steering-wheel-fork stem, a brake device held to the plunger, a relativelyiixed plug or part at the fork, a support held to said plug, a pin held to the support and not entering the fork-stem, a flexible draft con nection held at one end to the plunger and passing in a bight under said pin, a pulling connection at the other end of said draft connection, means operatin g said pulling connection, and a retracting-spring held at opposite ends to the pin-support and plunger.

3. A vehicle-brake comprising a plunger 4, 5 movable in the steering-wheehfork stem, a brake device held to the plunger, a plug 6 fixed at the fork-crown, rods 9 held to plug 6, a cap 10 and pin 11 held to the rods, a flexible connection 14 held at one end to the plunger and passing in a bight under pin 11, a spring 17 held to parts 5, 10, a pulling connection attached to part 14, and means operating said pulling connection.

4. The combination, with the handle-bar, a brake operating device thereon, a brake, means within the steering-wheel-fork stem operating the brake, and the two-part intermediate coupling having a shoulder and permitting vertical adjustment of the handlebar, of a support 24, 25, on which the shoulder of the coupling rests, a laterally-curved yoke connected to the support, anda flexible draft device connecting said yoke with the brake-operating devices, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the slotted handle-bar and draft devices in said bar actuating the brake, of an operating-handle surrounding the bar and having interior end rings bearing thereon, and also having an interior lining and a worm-screw plate within the lining; said lining and screw-plate both having larger diameter than the handle-bar and having no bearing thereon; and a slide and pin within the handle-bar connecting the worm with the draft devices of the brake.

6. The combination, with the handle-bar, of an operating-handle turning thereon and having an interior lining 39 and an end-ring bearing 42 provided with lugs 43 entering slots of the lining; an end plate 4a fitted within the lining and upon which the end parts of the lining are pressed down, and a headed screw 45 entering a stud 46 projecting from the handle-bar through an opening of plate 44, substantially as described.

7. The handle-bar having an end plug or part 47 provided with a stud 46, and having at one end a pin 48, entering the bar, and at the other end a threaded hole; a fasteningscrew 49 in the bar fitting said hole, an operating-handle turning on the bar, and aheaded screw 4:5 passing from the outer end of the handle into the stud 46, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the handle-bar and the brake-operatinghandle turning thereon, of a spring-latch 50held to and within the bar and having at its free end a boss 54 fitting an opening in the handlebar and carrying a latch-stud 52 adapted to engage a recess of the operating-handle, substantially as described. I

9. The combination, with the brake-spoon cap-plate having slots formed with wide and narrow parts, of a brake-shoe having headed keys adapted to enter the slots and lock outside the plate, and lateh-fastening's held to the cap-plate and locking'the keys in the narrow parts of the slots.

10. The combination, with the brake-spoon cap-plate having two pairs of slots formed with Wide and narrow parts, of a brake-shoe made in two independent side parts 01' blocks each having tWo headed keys adapted to en- IO ter the cap-plate slots and lock outside the plate, and latches held to the (Zap-plate and locking thekeys in the narrow parts of the slots.

EDWARD SPENCER HALL. Witnesses:

EDITH A. FELL, LEWIS B. HUNTER. 

